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Biz Buzz Way cleared for new Pequot Lakes grocery store Senior Reporter It appears Pequot Lakes will be getting another grocery store.
The city council voted 3-2 Tuesday to give the proposed Supervalu grocery store and retail project $350,000 in tax abatement.
Voting in favor, were council members Cathy Malecha and Dave Sjoblad and Mayor Nancy Adams. Voting against were council members Tom Ryan and Craig Nagel.
With a tax abatement, the taxes are calculated and a taxing district, be it the county, city or school district, may pay a portion back to the developer. Sandy Peine, Pequot Lakes city clerk, said the developers do not intend to approach the county or the school district for additional tax abatement.
Peine said the proposed Supervalu now has everything it needs to proceed in terms of variance and conditional use permits from the city. The developers have to work out final details in a development agreement, according with the CUP, with the city.
"Then we'll give them a building permit," Peine said.
The proposed Supervalu grocery store and retail development is along Highway 371 North and includes the Bradmor Motel.
Northern Food King in Pequot Lakes requested and received a vacation for First Street and Second Street with conditions for potential expansion of the existing grocery store in downtown Pequot Lakes.
Peine said a building permit will be needed in order to record the road vacations.
Pine River GM put up a sign Thursday saying inventory and personnel moved to Dondelinger Chevrolet Cadillac in Brainerd. Tom McMullen, manager of Pine River GM, was finishing his duties late Thursday and put up a sign outside the business letting customers know of the end of Pine River GM.
In May, the Dondelinger family announced it was closing its GM franchise dealership in Pine River along with Little Falls and Wadena but keeping Wadena and Pine River businesses open. Although that plan even then was described as subject to change, Pine River became a used car supercenter.
"We tried it without the franchise and it just didn't work," Roger Dondelinger said Friday.
Dondelinger said with the economy and with vehicle inventory hard to find, it was decided to lower overhead and move inventory to Brainerd. The four employees at Pine River GM were offered positions in Brainerd and as of Friday two had accepted.
"We'll continue to offer the good service out of Brainerd," Dondelinger said.
Gary's Sports Bar and Grill in Ironton closed recently. Owner Gary Cash reported he was forced to close because of the economic conditions. It's the domino effect as the recession has forced people to cut back on their spending and eating out and social outings were high on the list of things people cut out of the budget. Cash also noted people don't go out for cocktails the way they once did with the worry of a DWI ticket looming over their heads.
"Business has really slowed down to where I cannot meet the daily operating costs of running a business of this size," Cash stated in a letter. "The daily costs of insurance, licenses, taxes, electricity, heating and changing of state codes has created expenses that I cannot meet. It has been a great 13 years, but the last year and a half has been a major struggle. I just cannot see my way clear of staying open any longer."
In a letter to customers and friends of his business, Cash thanked people for their support and patronage. He said being a resident of the Cuyuna Range for 17 years, he was proud and happy to be part of the area, of the celebrations and gatherings hosted at his business and of the opportunity to meet thousands of people because of Gary's Sports Bar and Pine Room.
In an update on foreclosures in Crow Wing County, Sheriff's Certificates, which confirm a foreclosure sale took place, numbered 142 in Crow Wing County in 2006. By 2007, that number jumped to 231. In 2008, there were 356. For 2009, there have been 259 as of September.
Sheriff's Certificates for September were 18 as compared to 30 in September of 2008 and 20 for September of 2007.
The Notices of Pendency, which are a precursor to the foreclosure sale, were 83 for September as compared to 55 in September of 2008 and 34 for September 2007.
As of September, there have been 516 Notices of Pendency this year. There were 576 notices in 2008, 427 in 2007 and 273 in 2006.
The Bay Colony Inn Reunion House along Highway 371 North near Nisswa was razed recently. The property owner is Grand View. Mark Ronnei, Grand View general manager, said the old reunion house was a little tuckered out. Ronnei said the building is believed to have been 60 to 70 years old with at least five additions made to the structure over the years. Ronnei said they found evidence of at least two fires, one they know was a major one.
Future plans are to construct an exercise building with hot tubs and amenities that may be used by the Bay Colony Inn, Gull Haven and Interlachen clients. Construction may begin in 2010 or 2011, Ronnei said.
The Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corp. is seeing community involvement as it updates its Web site early next year. A consultant will be hired to redesign the site following a planning process. BLADC notes the Web site is a key economic development tool for the area and they'll be looking at the Web site's audience and development tool areas of financing and business planning, site selection, work force training and area information and infrastructure.
With the redesign, BLADC hopes to create a site that provides detailed information about the area that will be useful both as a way to attract business and jobs here and for residents who want to know more about the area they call home.
The Paul Bunyan State Trail was highlighted in the publication - Rails to Trails - in the fall edition as a trail destination. The publication, based in Washington D.C., included a write-up of the trail between Brainerd and Bemidji with photos and a map and a recommendation to try Minnesota.
Naterra Land, a Midwest provider of vacation home sites and recreational property, closed its Nisswa office. Ben Schmidt, vice president, said the company is still going but has moved to office space in Crosslake on the south side of the city along County Highway 3. Schmidt said the business now employs about four people and with most living in the Crosslake area there wasn't a need for the larger space in Nisswa.
Naterra had been in Nisswa about three years, Schmidt said. That came after the company previously moved its offices north from a spot south of Nisswa where they were located for about five years.
Country Inn and Suites in Little Falls was recently renovated. The hotel has 48 rooms. Lori Rivetts is the manager.
Little Falls Dam Repair and Detail Shop opened at 300 W. Broadway in Little Falls. Owner Carl Rains' company does engine work, boat motors, big trucks, lawn mowers, detailing and undercoating, the Chamber of Commerce in Little Falls reported.
On the lighter side, Dan Hegstad at Lakeland Public Television found an interesting notation when going to Google Maps and looking up the street view for the office studio.
The notation says "at this address: Lakeland Public TV Office/Stud." Hegstad reports some databases cut the "io" off of studio and he regularly gets mail addressed to the "office/stud."
RENEE RICHARDSON, senior reporter, may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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